Everest

Mount Everest, also known in Nepal as Sagarmatha and in Tibet as Chomolungma, is Earth’s highest mountain. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. The peak is 8,848 metres (29,035 ft). The international border between Tibet and Nepal runs across the precise summit point. Its massif includes neighboring peaks Lhotse, 8,516 m (27,940 ft); Nuptse, 7,855 m (25,771 ft) and Changtse, 7,580 m (24,870 ft).

In 1856, the Great Trigonometrical Survey of India established the first published height of Everest, then known as Peak XV, at 29,002 ft (8,840 m). The current official height of 8,848 m (29,035 ft) as recognized by Nepal and China was established by a 1955 Indian survey and subsequently confirmed by a Chinese survey in 1975. In 1865, Everest was given its official English name by the Royal Geographical Society upon a recommendation by Andrew Waugh, the British Surveyor General of India. Waugh named the mountain after his predecessor in the post, Sir George Everest.

There are two main climbing routes, one approaching the summit from the southeast in Nepal and the other from the north in Tibet. While not posing substantial technical climbing challenges on the standard route, Everest presents significant dangers such as altitude sickness, weather, wind as well as objective hazards from avalanches and the Khumbu Icefall. While the overwhelming majority of climbers use bottled oxygen in order to reach the top, some climbers have summitted Everest without supplemental oxygen.

Nepal/Tibet Border

8848m / 29,035ft

South Ridge Route

$45,000.00

60 days (April & May)

Abandoned (2014 & 2015)

The first recorded efforts to reach Everest’s summit were made by British mountaineers. With Nepal not allowing foreigners into the country at the time, the British made several attempts on the north ridge route from the Tibetan side. After the first reconnaissance expedition in 1921 (led by Westmeath native Charles Howard-Bury) reached 7,000 m (22,970 ft) on the North Col, the 1922 expedition pushed the North ridge route up to 8,320 m (27,300 ft) marking the first time a human had climbed above 8,000 m (26,247 ft). Tragedy struck on the descent from the North col when seven porters were killed in an avalanche. The 1924 expedition resulted in the greatest mystery on Everest to this day: George Mallory and Andrew Irvine made a final summit attempt on June 8 but never returned, sparking debate as to whether they were the first to reach the top. They had been spotted high on the mountain that day but disappeared in the clouds, never to be seen again until Mallory’s body was found in 1999 at 8,155 m (26,755 ft) on the North face. The first official ascent finally came in 1953 when Tenzing Norgay (Nepal) and Edmund Hillary (New Zealand) reached the summit using the southeast ridge route. Tenzing had reached 8,595 m (28,199 ft) the previous year as a member of the 1952 Swiss expedition.

We left Everest until the end of the 7 Summits to ensure that we progressively built up as much skill, nerve and expedition knowledge as possible to be successful. In advance of Everest, Paul had completed 6 of the 7 summits, climbed Mt. Blanc twice (once solo), and spent 2 years in full time training including a year living and adapting in the National Altitude Training Centre (Altitude House) at University of Limerick. Our first attempt was in 2014 when Paul, Niall and Madhura joined the Ascent Himalayas expedition team to attempt a climb via the south side of the mountain. However 20 days into the expedition a massive avalanche struck on the icefall between Base Camp and Camp 1, killing 16 Sherpa and effectively stopping all climbs on Nepal side of Everest for that year. Paul returned in 2015 and was 25 days into the expedition when the Nepal earthquake hit, killing 19 people at Base Camp where he and his team were situated. The team ended up, alongside others, in a massive rescue and recovery mission throughout this period and climbing on Everest was suspended completely on both sides of the mountain for the very first time.

Everest is a major step up from the rest of the Seven Summits, with the effects of altitude changing the game completely for climbers. It is strongly recommended that you have significant experience on steep long roped sections in extreme conditions, and are suitably prepared for the effects of alititude (hypoxic and hyperbaric). Do your homework on both the company you go with and the preparation needed.

Expedition Location – Nepal

Expedition Itinerary – 55 Days

2015 Expedition

2014 Expedition

2015 Disaster: Paul was 25 days into his Everest expedition in April 2015 when 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Nepal and triggered an avalanche which destroyed the centre of Everest Base Camp close to their camp. 19 people were killed in the worst disaster in the history of Everest.

2014 Disaster: Paul, Niall & Madhura were half-way through their expedition in April 2014 when an avalanche killed 16 Sherpa on the Khumbu Icefall above Base Camp. After a week of meetings and standoff, all climbing was stopped on Nepal side following a Sherpa strike.